TeamTrissolcus: Integrating Taxonomy and Biological Control to Combat the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug

Invasive species, and their impacts on natural and agricultural resources, are a growing, multi-billion dollar problem worldwide. For insect species, this is particularly true, as many are small and hard to detect; they can hitchhike on rapid modes of transportation, facilitating survival; and some have the potential to reproduce quickly when accidentally introduced into new areas, assisting their establishment. Responding to these invaders is a three-fold endeavor, involving detection or interception (e.g., port identifiers, surveys), accurate and fast identification (taxonomy), and thorough ecological investigations in native ranges and associated natural enemy complexes (i.e., biological control agents). We use a current project of investigating natural enemies of the brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stål) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae), as an example of how taxonomy and biological control projects are mutually informative, stimulating joint research and shortening the time lag between field observation, publishing data, and using that data for management decisions. We make the case that taxonomic preparedness is critical to this success.